Rock Candy
by Crissy-chan
Summary: Kagome has always been forshadowed by her twin sister, Kikyo, even after her sister had gone. That is, until a talent agent discovers Kagome, and the tables begin to turn...KagxInu
1. Prolouge

**_Prologue_**

Before the fame and before the record company. Before the fortune and before the screaming fans. Before the recording studio…before _everything._

I could have told you I was a regular fifteen year old girl living in an old shrine with my mother, grandfather, and little brother. I could have told you I went to high school, and had friends and a crush on the hottest guy in town. I could have told you that each day after school I would go to Wac Donolds with my three best friends, Eri, Arimi, and Yuka and just hang out with them.

Simple, right?

Of course.

A simple life-style for a simple girl.

Oh, how the tables have turned.

But before my life is unraveled to you, let me show you how things used to be.

It was just another normal day after school in Wac Donolds, talking to Arimi, Eri, and Yuka about the usual things going on.

Eri took a sip from her Diet Pepsi and said, with a sly grin on her face, "Hey Kagome, I saw Hojo staring at you during first period algebra!"

"Oh my God! Hojo?" Yuka's eyes grew wide, "He is _so_ cute! And really nice, too!"

Arimi nodded in agreement, "I know! Your so lucky, Kagome!"

The three girls sighed dreamily and started to blush, caught up in their own hopeless romantic day dreams.

"Oh, please!" I rolled my eyes, taking a bite of my cheeseburger and saying in between bites, "He _is_ sweet and all, _but_…"

But I already had the hots for Kouga, the super sexy lead guitarist and vocals for the local high school band, Bloody Knuckles. I continued imagining his handsome face…his well-built and chiseled body…the way he cocks his eyebrow…

Arimi waved her hand up and down in front my spell bound face, "Hello! Earth to Kagome?"

I snapped back to reality, "Oh! Sorry! What was I saying again?"

Yuka sighed, "You were saying why exactly you didn't like the cutest, sweetest guy in our grade."

Well, I couldn't tell them it was because I had a crush on some bad ass guitar player! They were probably going to tell me to stay away from him and that he was no good for me. There was no point in causing a scene.

So I searched for a way to change the subject, "Umm…" then I heard Killing Me Softly by Lauren Hill, in a midi version, come onto the background music of the fast food restaurant, "Our song is on!"

Eri smiled, "Oh yeah!" she grabbed a French fry and used it as her pretend microphone, "I heard he sang a good song." Eri sang in a squeaky tone. Nothing real special or attention grabbing, "I heard that he had style."

Yuka cut in this time, holding an invisible microphone, "And so I came to see him and listen for a while," This was nothing personal, but Yuka was the most awful singer in the universe. Not that it mattered or anything, we were just messing around.

"And there he was, this young boy, a stranger to my eyes," Arimi sang piercingly and exaggerated the lyrics. Believe me, it can become very annoying.

Now it was my turn to shine.

"Strumming my pain with his fingers," I boomed in a loud and powerful voice, "Singing my life with his words,"

This time Arimi, Eri, and Yuka joined in creating an identical and balanced choir, "Killing me softly with his song,"

Then I went solo, "Killing me softly…with his song. Telling my whole life with his words. Killing me softly…"

Yuka, Arimi, and Eri completed the chorus, "…with his song,"

Then we all burst into endless giggles.

"We suck!" Eri said amid laughter.

"What are you talking about?" Arimi ordered, half chuckling and half demanding, "Kagome is a terrific singer!"

"Yea, I wasn't talking about her!" Eri said as the laughter began to die down.

"Kagome is your regular Utada Hikaru!" Yuka said, smiling.

Arimi wrinkled her nose, "Heck no! She's more of a Courtney Love and a Mika Nakashima mixed together!"

"Are you insane?" Eri criticized, "She's a-"

"Brace Slick and Ayumi Hamasaki," A charming and mischievous voice said.

"Yeah!" Eri agreed amiably.

Yuka, Arimi, Eri and I all turned to the unknown source of the voice.

"Hey ladies," A boyish, sly-faced young man-probably in his late teens or early twenties-with jet-black hair pulled into a short ponytail said suavely.

All except for me sighed dreamily and gazed into his face.

I raised an irksome eyebrow, "May we help you?"

"Jeez, Kag," The young man smiled sheepishly, "Is that how you treat your Uncle Miroku after not seeing him for two years?"

I rolled my eyes, "First of all, your way, way too young to be called my uncle. What are you…four…five years older than me?" I said in a matter-of-factly way, "And second of all, just because you worked with my sister…" I paused for a moment, frowning deeper, "…doesn't make you my uncle!"

Ah, yes…let me explain about…

…my _twin_ sister…

Kikyo.

She was everything I wanted to be.

Beautiful, smart, kind, graceful, fun, loving, compassionate, clever, EVERYTHING a girl wanted to be.

But the gift of hers that I loved the most was her voice. Her lovely voice that put me to sleep when I was crying and chased away my stress. Her voice was nothing like mine. My voice is a bit rough and quite powerful. It didn't even compare to the soft, resonating sound that came out of Kikyo's mouth.

Kikyo was discovered one day at our school talent show. Miroku, a talent agent, was strolling around town looking for some entertainment (it was his first time in our town) when he decided to check out our talent show. He saw Kikyo and heard her angelic voice. She instantly got signed to his record company and things just kept going uphill from there.

She got real famous. I saw her on posters in the CD store first. Then I started hearing her on the radio. Before I knew it she was a guest on every popular television show and on a poster in every kid's room.

Everything was still the same for me, despite the instant stardom that exploded in my sister's face. I was still known as "Kikyo's little sister".

Then I heard on TV that she would be going on tour with some popular boy band (I wouldn't know their name. I'm not really into the whole pop getup, I'm more of a rocker, believe it or not).

So before she went on her two-year-long tour to enhance her fame and money, she decided to spend time with us before she would be gone for so long that I didn't know if we would recognize her anymore. She dropped out of school, by the way. "I don't want anything to interfere with my dream," she said confidently. It was such a shame, though. She was so smart. Straight As and president of Student Council.

She spent a week in our house. On the day before she was going to get on her tour bus and drive off to an airplane to Europe, she told me we would go shopping. "I'm going to be a millionaire by the time I get on tour," she laughed merrily, "I could buy you a mansion if you wanted." Kikyo offered Mom and Gramps a mansion but, of course, they refused. Nothing could tear them apart from our cozy shrine. Not even a free mansion.

We were just finishing up our shopping spree as we walked out of Hot Topic (the things there are so expensive I usually only go on my birthday or on Christmas) and Kikyo had just finished badgering me about how much better I would look in Abercromie and Gucci and whatnot. "Sometimes I wonder if we're really related," joked Kikyo, "let alone twins!" It was true. Although we looked very much alike and identical, our personalities were as different as night and day. Kikyo was half-girly and half-good girl. She liked pink, was captain of the cheerleading team and watched chick flicks on a daily basis. But she never stayed out late and she always listened to authority and did community service and crap like that.

I, on the other hand, am a rocker, believe it or not. Not hardcore, or anything. I mean, I don't have piercings everywhere and I'm not really much of a rebel or an activist. I listen to emo and some punk. Overall, I despise cheerleaders (my sister is an exception), I enjoy anime, video games and action movies, and I play the guitar.

Anyway, it was getting dark and we didn't think we could make to dinner, even if we ran. So Kikyo gave me some quarters and told me to call up home and tell them we would just eat at some restaurant. So I handed the bags I was holding to Kikyo and walked to the nearest pay phone.

Kikyo accidentally dropped one of her shopping bags and a small cylinder glass container of perfume rolled out onto the street.

When Kikyo walked out to get it, I was just hanging up the payphone. I turned around and spotted a sleek black Porsche zooming past at what seemed like a million miles per hour.

Then she got hit.

At first, I ran over to her bleeding body and put her head on my lap. Then I just held her head and kept rocking back and forth. I screamed for help and large masses of tears were falling into her tangled and bloody hair. It took me a few minutes before I collected enough sanity to run to the payphone and dial 911.

I remember just holding onto her fragile body and screaming and sobbing. Then I heard sirens and they took her away and drove off. Mom and Sota were crying and Gramps had a horribly somber look on his face as he tried to comfort us.

We went to the hospital, and the doctor said she was still alive, but in a deep coma. It hurt everyone to see her hooked up to all those dialyses.

They never did catch the asshole behind the wheel that made my family's life a living hell. It was a hit and run.

But that was a whole two years ago. Yup, she's been in a coma for two years. None of our family will ever get over it, but at least a small part of us has moved on.

Anyway…let's get on with our previous story.

I rolled my eyes, "First of all, your way, way too young to be called my uncle. What are you…four…five years older than me?" I said in a matter-of-factly way, "And second of all, just because you worked with my sister…" I paused for a moment, frowning deeper, "…doesn't make you my uncle!"

I saw Miroku's lively eyes flicker with depression for a slight moment.

"Thanks for the warm greeting…" Miroku muttered under his breath.

My now vacant eyes scanned my half-eaten burger. I had suddenly lost my appetite.

"I heard you sing, Kag," Miroku said with a lopsided grin, "You have an awesome voice. Just what we're looking for."

I sighed, "Let me guess," I imitated one of those rich famous girls with fake French accents, "Oh, dah-lin! We're going to make you famous! You'll have money! And a mansion! And a brand new cah!" I flung my arms in the air, "It will be le magnific! You'll be just like…" I suddenly realized what I was about to say and put my head down so that my eyes disappeared under my long bangs. In a dark and melancholy way, I practically whispered, "…your sister."

"Well, sorry Miroku but I don't want it," I said in an icy way, "So just go back to your big mansion in the city,"

Miroku's expression went from slightly amused to downcast and sympathetic and now a bit irked. He knew this was his cue to take off, but he wasn't the kind to take no for an answer, "Aw, c'mon, Kag!" he persuaded, "Lately I've been so bored at my vacation home, which you know isn't very far from here. I have a recording studio in it and everything!"

"Oh, so you just want me for entertainment!" I demanded in a loud voice.

"It'll be fun! For both of us! I promise." Miroku gave a perfect smile.

I almost pouted, displeased at Miroku's persistence. "Why are you here again, anyway? After two years?" I asked, half out of curiosity and half to change the subject.

"Eh…" Miroku scratched the back of his head, "Girlfriend problems…she…eh…um…"

I rolled my eyes, "You cheated on her and now she's out to kill you," I tried to say it disgustingly, "Right?"

"Hey! I did not cheat on her…I just…" Miroku searched for a synonym for 'cheat' to make things sound better than they sounded now, "It's natural for people to be attracted to other people….and…I just….well…it runs in the family, okay!"

I looked away, obviously irritated at Miroku's presence.

Miroku took the hint and headed for the door after saying, "Just think about it, okay Kag?"

When Miroku was out the door, Eri, Yuka, and Arimi directed their attention from Miroku's face to mine.

I turned to my friends, with a hint of annoyance in my almost somber tone, "What!" I demanded of the three perplexed eyes staring at me.

Once they heard my obviously pissed voice, they held back the truckload of questions they were about to dump on me.

I sighed and mumbled loud enough for my friends to hear, "I'm gonna go now, guys,"

They all nodded in unison and allowed me to go on my way. I was not in the mood to have fun anymore. A sudden wave of regret and depression washed over me at the sudden mention of my sister. I usually can handle the mention of her name but I hate thinking about the accident and it's never fun to dance with devil's past.

So I grabbed my school bag and walked down the side walk to try and get my mind off of it.

I didn't want go home. I needed some time to cool off.

I needed to do something to cool off.

I started walking faster…and faster…and faster…until I was jogging…faster…and faster…then I started running.

I don't know why. I guess it was my way of relieving my frustrations.

I just ran through crowds and crossed streets without even looking for cars.

I kept running with all my might and power, thinking about all the crappy things about life and about my sister and about…

BOOM!

THUD!

CRASH!

Those were, among many other sounds, the result of a very disastrous crash.

Both victims were sitting on the cement.

"Owww…" I moaned while rubbing my head.

"Jesus Christ…" an aggravated voice murmured.

"I'm sorry about that…" I apologized while trying to get up.

"Your damn right, you are!" the voice infuriatingly said without looking up.

Both me and the annoyed voice got up.

Then we locked eyes.

My eyes instantly widened in horror.

It was Kouga I had just run into.

Shit.

While I had a plainly embarrassed and stunned look on my face Kouga looked somewhat amused as he said,

"Well, hello, gorgeous,"

I blushed deep red. I know I shouldn't of gotten excited because he says that to all girls. But…oh, come on! You would've blushed, too, if someone as hot as Kouga even talked to you!

"Y-yeah," I managed to stutter, "I...I'll be l-leaving now…"

I turned around and tried to beat it, but he grabbed my wrist.

"Hey," he said demandingly, "You're not going anywhere, girly,"

I turned around with a quizzical and panicked look clear across my face, "Eh?"

"Look!" he picked up his guitar and showed it to me.

I turned from deep red to pale white.

"Oh…crap…"

"Oh crap is right!"

"I am _so _sorry…"

"Well that's real nice, honey, but sorry doesn't fix guitars!"

That's right. When I crashed into Kouga his guitar went flying in the air and then became a complete and utter wreck once it crashed to the ground.

'Oh great,' I thought sarcastically, 'A great way to add to this terrific day…'

"I-I'll promise to…" I thought of some way to make it up to him. I had no money. Whenever I get some money I spend it on manga books or CDs.

And there's no way I could ask my mom or Gramps for money…even though I know they'd give me the money, I'd never have the heart to accept it. And I doubt a ten-year-old like Souta would have enough money to buy Kouga a brand new guitar which was clearly what Kouga needed.

"You'll promise to what?" Kouga rudely interrupted my train of thought.

"I'll give you the money to buy a brand new guitar!" I heard myself exclaim.

Kouga obviously was not convinced, "Yeah? And how are you gonna do that?"

"I'll get the money," I went on, "Give me two weeks…three weeks at the most. I swear you'll have enough money for a brand new…even better guitar,"

"That'd be great, but…"

"But…?"

"My band has a gig in one week. So how am I gonna play without a guitar, huh? Do you suggest I air guitar?" he said, voice dripping in sarcasm.

I stifled a giggle, "You can…"

No…no…no…no…please, no…

"You can use my guitar," I heard my mouth say.

NO! NO! NO! My mind screeched in silent horror while my mouth betrayed it.

Kouga frowned but said, "Fine," he tilted his head towards his car, "I have band practice in an hour. I'll drive you home so you can pick up that guitar and give it to me,"

I let out a breath of relief, "Okay," and for some reason beyond my knowing I smiled.

We walked to his shiny black Mustang convertible and he opened the door for me.

Oh my God! He opened the door for me! My legs almost melted under me and I stumbled.

Then guess what?

He caught my fall!

Oh my God…did I mention how hot he was?

Anyways…I sat in the passenger seat and let the wind blow through my hair.

I kept glancing at him. I couldn't stop.

When he caught me staring, he gave a cocky smile, "Like what you see?"

I just blushed beet red and looked out the car.

When we pulled into my neighborhood, he slowed down and I pointed to him which house was mine.

I hopped out of the car and ran into my room, grabbing my beautiful deep blue electric guitar. One of my most prized possessions. It took me three years of birthday and Christmas money and restraining in buying manga and CDs to afford to get it. It was my pride and joy.

"What have I gotten myself into?" I said to myself as I walked out the house and hopped back into Kouga's car.

"Here," I carefully handed him the guitar.

"I'll miss you…" I thought to myself, towards my guitar.

Kouga smiled, "Thanks, babe," he eyed the guitar, "This sure is in good condition,"

I just nodded mindlessly trying to soak in the fact that I might have to live without my guitar for more than five days.

"I guess I'll head home now," I said involuntarily.

I opened the car door, stepped out, and then closed it. Kouga delicately placed my guitar in the floor of his back seat.

I turned to walk away.

"Hey. One more thing,"

I turned around, and facing him, raised an eyebrow.

"If you don't get my money in three weeks, I'm keeping your guitar,"

Saying that, he sped off leaving me standing there, eye's wide and complexion pale with horror.

"Crap!" I cursed to no one in particular, "What the hell have I gotten myself into…how am I gonna pay for his guitar?"

Then, as if something in my head stepped on a landmine, an idea exploded in my mind:

Miroku.


	2. The Recording Studio

**A/N: **Thanks for all the reviews! Please, keep them coming. A single encouraging review really gives me the push I need to keep writing. I honestly thought that the prologue might not draw any attention, so I was a bit worried I'd have no reviews and I'd be a complete bomb, so I was so glad when I received my first review just a few minutes after I posted the fic. Anyways, hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter. It'll get to the main storyline either at the end of this chapter or the beginning of the next chapter. We'll just see what pops into my head…hehehe…

**Chapter One: **Recording Studio

The idea grew brighter and wider as Kagome thought about it, like coming to the bright entrance from inside a dark cave.

'Yes!' she thought enthusiastically, 'Miroku's loaded! He'll have the money…and he'll probably give me something to do to make up for it. Yeah…Miroku will help…'

She continued whispering words of hope and assurance to herself while unhooking her bike from her small iron fence and carrying it down the steps of the shrine. She got on and began to ride to Miroku's vacation home.

The memories of when Kikyo and Kagome would their bikes to that very lake that was overlooked by Miroku's holiday retreat came back to her.

When they were younger, in middle school, before a house was even built near the lake, Kagome and Kikyo would ride their tiny flowery bikes to the lake with their swimsuits under their summer clothes.

Kagome could still recall the large splashes and semi-large waves she made in the water and the poised and silent dives her sister executed.

"It was always like that…" Kagome spoke to the wind that blew through her ebony tresses, "I was always the loud, obnoxious, stubborn one and she was always soft, sweet, and patient child,"

Kagome frowned and tossed the idea out of her head, trying to focus on the man who would help her escape her dreadful situation.

When Kagome finished her train of thought, as if on cue, she finally reached the blue-green lake that held the reflection the feathery clouds and the glare of the warm sun.

Kagome got off her bike and walked it to a tree so it could lean on its trunk. Then Kagome cautiously walked up the few wooden steps and onto the clean plank porch.

She hesitantly rang his doorbell.

Then she waited for a few moments.

Then for a few minutes.

"What the hell?" Kagome said in a confused and enraged voice.

She rang the doorbell again.

No response.

Kagome violently thrusted her index finger to the small white button.

Still no response.

Kagome willfully banged her fist on the thick, oak door. Once she set her head to something and wanted it desperately, there was no stopping her.

"Hey!" Kagome yelled, hoping for her voice to carry through the door and into Miroku's ears.

She saw a movement from inside the house.

"Hey!" she repeated, "I know you're in there!"

Kagome then heard a muffled low voice, then a muffled high pitched voice.

"Eh?" Kagome thought, going on her tip toes, trying to see through the tiny window at the top center of the door.

While Kagome was leaning on the door, it suddenly opened and she found herself collapsing onto the bare chest of a man.

She then opened her eyes and was met by Miroku's bare chest.

"Eep!" She screeched out in horror before recoiling and standing up strait.

Miroku sighed and looked at the horrified girl, "What do you want?" he asked, a tad annoyed and a tad amused.

"Well…um…" Kagome struggled to bring back the words she thought up to say but had suddenly forgotten, "Well…I…need some money…and…"

"Hey, honey," A female voice from within the house inquired, "Who's that?"

Kagome blushed scarlet as she saw the woman. She was a platinum blond in her bra and underwear. 'So that was the high-pitched voice…' Kagome thought to herself. Then she actually took a look at Miroku. His jet-black hair, usually in a neat ponytail, was sprawled across his shoulders and his pants barely clung to his hips due to the fact that his belt wasn't even buckled.

Kagome analyzed the situation and when what they were doing finally dawned on her she turned ghost white, 'Eeeewwwww!' she thought to herself in disgust.

"Is something wrong?" Miroku asked.

"Um…I'll go now…" Kagome said with a sudden change of heart.

She turned around to leave but Miroku's voice stopped her.

"Hold on, Kags," he tried to run…er…walk after her while holding his pants to keep them from falling.

"What?" she said, trying to get it over with so that she could leave and pretend nothing happened.

"You need money?" he asked the obvious.

She nodded, "Yeah," she said sheepishly.

Miroku sighed, "Bad timing," He rolled his eyes.

Kagome looked back at the half naked women leaning against the doorframe, watching them and she nervously added, "Uh…yeah…"

Kagome attempted to leave again but once again Miroku stopped her, "I can get you easy money. There is this club in the area and I'm good friends with the owner. He constantly needs performers and one of his usuals got in a sky-diving accident and will be in the hospital for weeks,"

Kagome turned to face Miroku, interested in his news.

Miroku was satisfied at her interest, "The performer was a real pretty girl with an even prettier voice," Miroku started getting lost in thought, "Oh, she was so beautiful…her tiny waist…big brea…"

Kagome blushed (again!) and waved her arms in the air, as if trying to destroy Miroku's thought bubble, "Enough!"

Miroku came back to reality, "Oh, right. Anyways…I told him that I found his replacement. And I was just waiting for you to come!"

"How'd you know I'd come?" Kagome asked with an arched eyebrow.

Miroku grinned, "Intuition,"

Kagome's eyes averted to the women leaning on the doorframe, now looking at her nails, "Eh…" Kagome supposed, "Maybe I should leave you be…"

Miroku looked over his shoulder, "Oh, right!" He then directed his attention once again to Kagome, "Well…meet me here tomorrow at noon. We'll talk then,"

Kagome nodded then added with a slight grin, "Pleasure before work, huh Miroku?"

Miroku smiled menacingly, "Why not?" then Miroku added, "Oh, another thing,"

"Hm?"

"You need your parent's permission,"

"Oh…"

Then he went back to his pretty, half naked blond and they both disappeared inside the house.

"What a way to start things," Kagome thought, still trying to recover from barging into Miroku when he was shagging some blond chick he probably didn't even know.

(TT)

Kagome carried her bike up the shrine steps and hooked it back to the black iron picket fence.

'Crap…' Kagome thought worriedly, 'What will mom say about this? Will she let me go?'

She opened the door to her house and tried to quietly sneak up her staircase.

"Kagome!" an angry voice yelled.

'Dammit…' Kagome silently cursed before putting on an innocent smile and nervous laugh, "Oh, hi, mom. Boy, I'm tired I guess I'll just go up stairs and…"

"Not so fast, young lady!" Mrs. Higurashi said in an urgent tone, "Where have you been? It's a school day and you haven't come back until nighttime!"

"But it's a Friday, Ma,"

"And why exactly were you out until nighttime this weekday?"

"Well…I was hanging out with Eri, Yuka, and Arimi…."

"Yes, you usually do that but you always come back before sundown! Please don't tell me you were with a boy, because…"

"Well…I kinda was, but…"

"WHAT!"

"You see, I was about to go home but…"

"I cannot believe you were with a boy. Oh my goodness! Have you no shame? I mean…"

"But, mom, I saw…"

"I don't care how cute you thought he was or how nice you thought he was. Oh, they'll do that. They'll promise to stay with you forever. Then they get you pregnant with twins and then leave! Just like that…"

"But, mom, it wasn't like that, I…."

"Then you're left raising these stressful little things and living in a shrine with your father and…"

"MOM, I SAW MIROKU!"

Mrs. Higurashi's expression instantly changed, "Oh my, wasn't he the man who made Kikyo a star?" she said in excitement.

Kagome cringed at the name, "Yeah, he said he wanted me to…"

"To be a star?" Kagome's mom's voice held bliss and anticipation.

"Well…uh…yeah, sure….and I just need your permission to…"

Mrs. Higurashi ignored her daughter, "Be a star? Just like Kikyo?" she smiled a sad and empty, full of longing smile, "Yes…just like my little Kikyo…"

Kagome looked the floor, trying to escape the sorrow in her mother's smile.

"That's magnificent!" Mrs. Higurashi's eyes lit up with joy.

"Yeah," Kagome muttered to the ground, "magnificent…"

As Mrs. Higurashi rambled on about the wonderful things that Kagome will experience, Kagome said softly, "I'm gonna go up now," and her mother didn't even notice when Kagome left. Mrs. Higurashi was just talking to the walls on her house.

Kagome went inside her room and shut the door behind her. Then she leaned her back against her door and slid down to a crouching position where she buried her head in her arms resting on her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Just like Kikyo," Kagome whispered to her room, "She's just happy because she sees this as a way to have a piece of Kikyo back. She's replacing me with Kikyo, just as she always did; even now that Kikyo's not here!"

Kagome crawled into her bed and began to sob.

That night she cried herself to sleep.

(-.-)

Kagome woke up to the rays of the sun taunting Kagome's eyelids to open. She sleepily stretched, yawned and rubbed her eyes.

She leaped out of her blankets and opened her closet.

"What to wear…what to wear…" Kagome pondered, "Today is the day I'm going too see Miroku, so I have to impress him and show him I have what it takes to be a sta-"

Kagome stopped herself and sat back down on her bed, "No…I'm probably not going to be a star. I'm never going to be like Kikyo…I'm just doing this to pay Kouga back…and to get my guitar back…"

Kagome continued to speculate inside her head, "He'll probably want me to make a demo CD…" Kagome nervously bit her lip, "…what if…?" She threw the thoughts of stardom and fame out of her head for the umpteenth time that week, "No…I'm totally not going to be a star! Haha…all I need are some gigs at clubs to sing for money…yeah…"

Kagome frowned as she got up and searched for something to wear in her closet.

Kagome decided to slip on a black, sleeveless shirt that showed her midriff. On the shirt was a tree and then its branch with a heart hanging from a rope on the branch. Underneath the hanging heart said in large lettering "The Used" and in smaller lettering, beneath it said, "In Love And Death" (to see the original version go to my profile).

Then Kagome got into a pair of jeans that hugged onto her hips but got baggy as it descended to her ankles.

To finish off her look, she put on fishnet gloves, a "Music Life" rubber wristband, and pulled her hair up, holding them with two black plastic chopsticks.

When she finished applying very lightly colored lip gloss she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Do I look okay?" she questioned her outfit.

"Come on, Kagome! It's 11:45, we should get going!" she heard her mother call.

Kagome shrugged off how she looked and headed downstairs, "But it only takes five or ten minutes to get there by car,"

"Yes, but it's good to be early," Mrs. Higurashi said with content and a smile.

Kagome slipped on her black converse and jumped into her mom's car.

As they got on the road, Kagome pulled out her Blue Weezer CD and played "Say It Ain't So" in the built in CD player in the car. She wanted to play some hard rock like System of a Down, but the last time she popped in B.Y.O.B by System of a Down in the player while her mom was driving, her mother nearly had a heart attack and almost crashed into a tree. Pretty funny actually…besides the almost dying part.

As soon as the song "Only in Dreams" ended they arrived at Miroku's vacation spot. They both got out of the car and rang Miroku's doorbell. He greeted them and welcomed them into his house.

He smiled, "Well hello Mrs. Higurashi and Kagome!"

He showed Kagome and her mother his recording studio and he explained to Kagome's mother that Kagome would be singing there and that to promote Kagome's image that she would sing in local gigs.

Kagome's mother amiably agreed to signing the contract that bound Kagome to Miroku's record company: Sengoku Jedai.

Kagome's mother smiled when Miroku was finished talking to her about the perks and she waved and said, "Okay, well, I've got to go now," Then she turned to Kagome, "Just call home when your done with Miroku, okay dear?"

Then she was out the door.

As soon as she left Kagome turned to Miroku with a scowl, "Hey! Recording? I'm just in this for the gigs for the immediate money!"

Miroku waved his hand up and down, "Yeah, yeah. But I wanna work on a demo CD for you. The gigs are promotional,"

"What the hell?" Kagome said in defiance, "I don't wanna make a demo CD!"

Miroku smiled devilishly, "But your mom signed a contract," he said, waving the document in her face.

"What!" Kagome wasn't paying attention during the time Miroku and her mother were talking.

She sighed, "My mom has just made me a deal with the devil…"

Miroku pretended to frown, "Aw, Kagome, do you really hate me that much?"

Kagome coldly replied, "Yes," Then she walked inside the isolation/vocal booth and found the headphones then put them on. Then she got in front of the microphone.

Miroku, who had just stepped into the control room, was a bit surprised, "Wow, you're already an expert. I usually have to tell my clients what to do…"

Kagome said in an irksome tone, "Yeah, yeah…just play some music already,"

Miroku nodded. Then he got in front of his microphone and said into it, "Kagome, can you hear me?"

Kagome heard from inside her earphones and looked through the glass wall, to Miroku, and nodded.

Miroku nodded in reply and asked, "So, Kagome. What song do you sing best?"

Kagome thought for a while and decided, "My Immortal by Evanescence,"

Miroku jokingly sounded disappointed, "Aw, now don't tell me you're into the pop scene, Kags,"

Kagome almost pouted, "I am not! I know that band is seriously exposed and a lot of posers like them, but they're songs are cool, okay? Gosh…"

Miroku smiled, "I'm just kidding you, Kags," then he searched for the song on his computer and played it.

"Can you hear it?" Miroku asked into the microphone.

Kagome heard the sound of the piano, marking the beginning of the song. She nodded at Miroku and got a nod in reply.

"I'm so tired of being here

Suppressed by all my childish fears," Kagome sang in a calm voice.

"And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave

'Cause your presence still lingers here

And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase"

When Kagome was softly singing that last sentence, Miroku paused the song and Kagome looked up curiously.

Miroku said into the microphone, "Come on, Kags. I know your voice, it's powerful and spiritual," Then he sighed, "Your trying to sing like Kikyo. Kikyo was soft, sweet, and quiet,"

Kagome gasped against her will. Miroku was right. She was trying to be like Kikyo.

Miroku went on, "You are Kagome. Not Kikyo. So sing like Kagome,"

Kagome nodded and as Miroku played it where she left off, Kagome sang in a thunderous voice,

"When you cried I wiped away all of your tears

When you scream I fight away all of your fears

And I held your hand through all of these years

But you still have

All of me,"

Miroku smiled, "Ata girl,"

Kagome closed her eyes and listened to the melody consume her. It was true, that the band was pop-ish. Kagome never liked popular bands. The reason she liked this song was…because it reminded her of her sister and how she felt about her.

"You used to captivate me

By your resonating life,"

Kagome thought about how she admired Kikyo and her life.

"Now I'm bound

By the life you left behind,"

Kagome thought about how Kikyo had taken a part of Kagome as she left consciousness.

"Your face it haunts

My once pleasant dreams,"

Kagome remembered all the haunting dreams of the accident and of old memories.

"Your voice it chased away

All the sanity in me,"

Kagome thought about how the accident had taken Kagome's old self and locked it away in an unreachable corner in her heart.

Kagome sang the chorus with the same awe-filling vocals and she finished up the ending, thinking about Kikyo more then ever,

"I've tried so hard to tell myself you're gone

But though you're still with me

I've been all along,"

When Kagome had finished she was crying and Miroku had gone inside the isolation room and gave her a box of tissues.

When she saw finished with the waterworks she sat in Miroku's lounge/living room and Miroku had heated up some tea for them both.

He set Kagome's cup on her side of the table and walked to the other side of the table with his tea and taking a sip, he bluntly said, "You really put your emotions into your song,"

Kagome sipped her tea and nodded in thanks.

Miroku glanced at Kagome's clothes and actually became aware of her style, "Hmm…emo?"

Kagome, once again, bobbed her head in reply.

Miroku nodded to himself, "That explains a lot…"

Then the ring of a doorbell echoed through the house.

Miroku brightly smiled, "Ah! So she's finally arrived!"

Kagome had a curios look on her face as Miroku had opened the door and merrily greeted whoever was there. Kagome could not see the visitor because there was a wall blocking her view. All she could see was Miroku.

Miroku had gone inside the room Kagome was in and joyfully grinned, "Kagome, look who we have here!"

Kagome's eyes went wide as she saw the guest and she nearly screamed,

"OH MY GOD!"


End file.
